What can happen if I don't use 4 wheel?

6th gear??? LOL!!!
Yeah, I am sure it is good-and, at some point, I will get the opportunity to use it. I just havent had that encounter yet. I shall begin my search for a downhill in my area!!!

 

I have made that a habit for 2 and 3rd Generation to drive in 4H for at least 10 miles once a month or more and never had issues with the 4x4 as this lubricates all the gears and makes the actuator work a little. I have heard of a few stories of people only using the 4 H when needed and then bang something is ceased or breaks and they wonder why. Cheaper to drive it once a month than the repairs on the transfer case, drive shafts, actuator etc can be very costly and sometimes worth more than the vehicle just saying.

 

Like lots of stuff, if you don't use it, you lose it. Years ago we had a 1991 Jeep Cherokee that my wife drove. It hadn't been used in 4X4 for some time and wouldn't shift into 4X4 when needed. Luckily for me it only needed the hubs taken apart and cleaned. Grease had hardened to the point that it wouldn't let the hubs engage. I've seen it happen to others too. Electrical connections can corrode if not used too.

Exactly 10 miles/month may not be necessary. But since the incident with my Cherokee I've made a habit of shifting into 4X4 any time I find myself on a dirt or gravel road. It may only be for 1 mile but I may get in 1-2 miles several times in a month. No one said the 10 miles had to be all at once. I may skip a month occasionally, but never 2 months. During parts of the year 10 miles/month just isn't practical, other months I may drive 200-300 miles in 4X4.

Don't forget to use low range and if you have a locking diff use it too. From May 2016 until January 2021 my wife primarily drove our Tacoma. I made sure it got used in 4X4 regularly, but didn't have an opportunity to lock the diff. We bought my wife a new vehicle in January and I'm back in the Tacoma.

I drove it turkey hunting 3-4 times each week for about a month. Since I put in 10-20 miles each time on a dirt road I worked out 4X4 a lot, but initially the diff would not lock. It was trying but just wouldn't engage. I kept trying it and after about 3 weeks of this it finally started working again.

And for gods sake, don't do this on pavement, even wet pavement. Technically, as long as you drive in a straight line it shouldn't do any damage. But you are over stressing parts that will wear out sooner than they should. And it's hard to find 10 miles of straight road. If you get distracted and forget you're in 4x4 and make a sudden turn onto another road or business you could do major damage. The risk is greater than the reward. Make a point to find a gravel or dirt road. I belong to a sportsman's club and use their firing range regularly. It is 1 mile on gravel from where I turn off pavement to the firing range. In and out gives me 2 miles every time I go.

 

Move up to 2Lo if traction isn’t an issue and you just want the gearing. Great little mod, particularly for manuals and reverse.

 

Lol some of you were close but no cigar.
Solenoid valves, the ones that shift all the things when you turn a knob or flip a shift, use little coils to move a pin or shaft. If those never move, the shaft or pin can "stick" rendering them useless which is why the once a month rule.
The ten mile rule is for moving the fluids around and letting everything go through the thermal cycle.
Our seals are not made of cork lol. A modern seal won't "dry out" like back in the day.
And whoever up above said don't drive it on dry pavement is full of shit. Drive away, just don't do parking lot turns all day.

 

Yes…. I’m waiting for 2 lo. I’ve got a switch but not the actual stuff

 

Any straight stretch of road is fine to exercise the front drive components. Paved or not. On my drives to and from work, every once in a while I engage 4H. It’s a 25-30mph drive and I only do it on the straight sections, no turning. The truck don’t care and nothings gonna break unless you start doing u-turns and other stupid things in 4x.

 

Yeh in my LC I just do it to lube the coiled springs in the actuators. I have a VC so I'm always AWD and the transfer case is always lubed up.

 

Isn’t every road in Kauai 25? Except between the ave of trees?

 

Every 4 wheel drive vehicle I've ever been around specifically stated in the owners manual and also on the interior instructional stickers that 4 wheel drive should not be engaged on dry paved roads. I've never investigated this in our Tacoma owners manual. I took it for granted that driving on dry paved roads with 4 wheel drive engaged could cause damage to the driveline over the long haul!

 

If you' do mild to aggressive turning it is harmful. Straight line is fine.

 

Okay. Thanks.

 

I drive in 4wd a lot in winter, go through dry patches a lot and leave it engaged. Get into the city where it’s plowed and I have to turn, I will disengage 4wd. Never had a problem .

 

Corporate instructions tend to be binary: Do or do not, do this thing. If you give permission to drive on only straight paved roads, then someone’s going to extrapolate to ‘slightly curves’ being okay. Then heck, turning every now and then ain’t so bad, etc. Toyota is just playing it safe. As long as your wheels are turning at the same speed within the tolerances Toyota designed in, you’re okay.

Straight away 4x4, have at it.

 

I saw this video today that explains how to exercise 4wd system regularly. Pretty much confirming what the folks have been saying in this thread

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FZcmDGVEmE

 

When I test drove my truck, one of the tests i put it through was a 360* wheel lock slow turn in both RH and LH directions with the truck in 4H and 4L in the dealer lot and all the windows down

Salesman was a bit squirmy and asked my why I did that. My reply, "I am listening for drivetrain issues. Please be quiet."

Salesman turned pale when I did a panic stop from 60 mph with hands off the steering wheel, ABS growling like 2 dogs fighting for a bone. Then followed with a WOT back to 60 mph.

BTW, the truck did not blow up or fall apart.

 

If you don't use it you'll grow man boobs.

 

"Absolutely"...

 

But if you grow a set of man boobs....you'll have something else to play with......

 

"Absolutely"...